In this endlessly fascinating record of three centuries of industrial design, vivid descriptions of such epoch-defining innovations as the cotton mill, light bulb, and computer are followed by a series of lavishly illustrated case studies of landmark designs, many of which have endured almost unchanged for generations. Grouped chronologically within four materials categories-wood, glass, metal, and ceramics-the products featured include the classic tea pot, milk bottle, garden basket, Windsor chair, outdoor thermometer, and numerous others.

Each design is discussed in the context of its time and supported by scale drawings and photographs, and the text as a whole illuminates the complex, shifting relationships between design and manufacturing, form and function, and materials, production methods, and the environment.